Ashwini Bhide Deshpande

Ashwini Bhide-Deshpande
Ashwini Bhide-Deshpande Performing at Rajarani Music Festival-2016, Bhubaneswar, Odisha
Background information
Birth name	Ashwini Govind Bhide
Born	(1960-10-07) October 7, 1960 (age 56)
Origin	Mumbai, India
Genres	Khayal, Bhajans, Thumris
Occupation(s)	Hindustani classical vocalist
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	1980–present
Associated acts	Jasrangi with Sanjeev Abhyankar
Website	http://www.ashwinibhide.in

Dr. Ashwini Bhide-Deshpande (born October 7, 1960) is a Hindustani classical music vocalist from Mumbai. She pursues the Jaipur-Atrauli Gharana, although also influenced by Mewati Gharana and Patiala Gharana. She is known for her rendering of 'Kabir Bhajans'

Born in Mumbai into a family with strong musical traditions, Dr. Bhide-Deshpande started her early classical training under the guidance of Narayanrao Datar. She then completed her Sangeet Visharad from the Gandharva Mahavidyalaya. Since then, Dr. Bhide-Deshpande has been under the tutelage of her mother Smt. Manik Bhide, who has been instilling in her the intricacies and traditions of the Jaipur-Atrauli Gharana. Dr. Bhide-Deshpande also received guidance from, Pt. Ratnakar Pai until his death in 2009.

Dr. Bhide-Deshpande holds a Masters degree in Microbiology and earned a doctorate in Biochemistry from Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Sangeet-Visharad and Masters degree in Music.

It was not until she completed her doctorate, when Dr. Bhide-Deshpande even considered a professional career in music. Despite, Dr. Bhide-Deshpande was well received by musical connoisseurs since her late teens. Since the late 1980s, Dr. Bhide-Deshpande has been on concert tours to every continent and frequently performs at prestigious music conferences around the world, including the Sawai Gandharva Sangeet Mahotsav in Pune, Maharashtra. Her 'Jasrangi Jugalbandi concerts' with Shri. Sanjeev Abhyankar received mixed response from the audience.